Chương 421: Dance of Frost and Steel
The announcer's voice rang out, clear and commanding, silencing the eager murmurs of the crowd. My name and Seraphina's echoed through the arena, met with a thunderous cheer. This was no ordinary match—it was the clash of two who had grown immeasurably over the years, and the anticipation was almost tangible.
I stepped onto the stage, my hand resting lightly on the hilt of my sword. Across from me, Seraphina moved with her characteristic grace, her movements precise and unhurried. Yet her eyes, those ice-blue orbs that usually held a quiet fondness, were alight with a fiery determination. She wasn't here to spar or test her limits. She was here to win.
A smile tugged at my lips. I couldn't help it. This wasn't just another opponent. Seraphina had come so far, her growth nothing short of extraordinary. No longer was she simply the younger sibling of a once-great genius, living in his shadow. She had shattered that image, surpassing even his accomplishments at her age.
I drew my sword, feeling the weight of it in my grip, the familiar hum of my own astral energy flowing through its edge. Across the stage, Seraphina mirrored my movement, her blade catching the light, a faint mist of ice mana already swirling around her.
"Begin!" the announcer declared.
The instant the word left his lips, Seraphina moved. Her sword swept forward in a precise arc, the air around her cooling rapidly as ice mana surged outward. The ground beneath her feet froze, spreading in a shimmering wave of frost.
I moved to counter, stepping lightly on the quickly forming ice and focusing my mana into my sword. Her attack wasn't just aggressive; it was a statement. She wasn't holding back.
Her blade slashed, and the first movement of Seven Blossom Sword: Plum Blossom Cleave came to life. Ice-blue petals bloomed in the air, cascading forward in a deadly, elegant dance. Her Ice Crystal Jade Body, the Gift that amplified her affinity with ice mana, infused each blossom with an unnerving sharpness. The frost carried not only beauty but lethal precision.
'Impressive,' I thought as I swung my sword, activating my own Grade 5 art: Tempest Dance Technique. My blade danced, cutting through her ice blossoms with fluid strikes. Each swing of my sword was precise, layering astral energy into the air as I pushed back against her assault.
The clash of arts wasn't just a battle of strength but one of skill. The Plum Blossom Cleave wasn't an overwhelming force, but it required a balance of technique and mana to counter. I could feel my body humming with the effort as the ice blossoms shattered under my strikes, their icy fragments glittering like stars before dissipating.
Seraphina's assault didn't falter. She transitioned seamlessly into the second movement: Plum Blossom Palisade. Ice began to condense in the air around her, forming a protective wall of shimmering blossoms that bristled with sharp edges, a fortress of frost that turned her defense into offense.
I exhaled sharply, focusing as I imbued Mythic Body into my strikes, pushing my astral energy to match the sheer control she exerted. My sword met her palisade, clashing with the blossoms as I chipped away at her shield. Each swing grew heavier, more deliberate, as I aimed to shatter the wall entirely.
For a brief moment, I saw her smirk. Seraphina wasn't just defending. She was building momentum, her art designed to grow stronger with each movement. As her wall of ice fractured under my strikes, she used the opportunity to transition into the third movement: Plum Blossom Tempest.
The air erupted with frost as a storm of ice blossoms swirled around her, a maelstrom of cold that swept across the stage. The sheer volume of mana she unleashed was breathtaking. The storm wasn't random; it was calculated, each blossom moving with purpose, honing in on me with precision.
'So, she's pushing me already,' I thought, grinning despite the effort it took to hold my ground.
I activated Mythic Transplant in my legs, propelling myself forward to dodge the brunt of the tempest while delivering a counterstrike. My sword glowed with layered astral energy, cutting through the storm as I closed the distance between us. Her petals tried to converge on me, but I was faster, more fluid, pushing through the chaos she created.
As I neared her, Seraphina stepped back, her ice mana shifting subtly. I recognized the shift too late—she was no longer using the Seven Blossom Sword. Her stance changed, her mana swirling into something far more refined, far more dangerous.
"Violet Divine Mist Art," I muttered under my breath, watching her blade glimmer with a soft violet hue.
The first movement: Violet Sunset Genesis. Her sword swung in an arc, releasing a burst of violet energy infused with ice mana. The mist rolled forward like a tidal wave, carrying both beauty and devastation.
I braced myself, pouring more astral energy into my blade to counter the strike. The impact shook the stage, ice cracking beneath our feet as our energies clashed. Her art wasn't just powerful; it was elegant, weaving layers of ice and mana into an unrelenting force.
The momentum of my Tempest Dance Technique was gone, shattered like the shards of ice littering the stage. Seraphina's Violet Sun Genesis was nothing short of a masterpiece, a flurry of precision and destruction that left no room for error.
Her focus was absolute, her gaze locked on me as she transitioned into the second movement: Fan of the Scattering Pearls. The mist around her sword condensed into countless small orbs, each one radiating destructive energy. With a flick of her blade, they shot toward me.
I exhaled, my grip tightening on my sword as I calculated my next move. There wasn't enough time to rebuild the Tempest Dance Technique from scratch—not against someone as relentless as Seraphina. No, I needed a direct counter, something that could break through her momentum without leaving me vulnerable.
"Luna," I murmured under my breath.
Her ethereal presence shimmered within my consciousness, her voice calm and reassuring. "I am here, Arthur."
With her guidance, I channeled mana into my hands, forming the intricate spell array of the Astareus Method. The lines of magic circled around me, seven layers of glowing energy spinning in perfect synchronization. The air grew hot, and the frost around me hissed and melted as flames began to take shape.
"Seven-circle spell: Flame Sphere," I intoned, my voice steady.
The spell burst into existence, a massive sphere of fire roaring to life. The heat radiated outward, pushing back the cold that clung to the stage. The Flame Sphere hurtled forward, meeting Seraphina's Fan of the Scattering Pearls head-on. The clash was explosive, a maelstrom of fire and ice that sent shockwaves through the arena.
I braced myself against the backlash as the Flame Sphere fractured under the sheer force of her technique. But it had done its job, scattering the orbs and clearing a path for me.
Seraphina's gaze flickered, a hint of surprise breaking through her steely focus. She wasn't expecting me to counter so decisively.
I didn't waste the opening. With a sharp intake of breath, I activated my Spectral Sword technique, the Grade 4 art flowing through my movements like a second nature. My blade shimmered with astral energy as I darted forward, cutting through the lingering mist and destroying the remnants of her scattered pearls. Each strike was precise, methodical, designed to dismantle her defenses and reclaim the upper hand.
Seraphina stepped back, her sword raised defensively as her plum blossoms began to reform around her. The ice petals floated through the air, their delicate appearance masking their deadly intent.
The blossoms surrounded me once more, encasing me in a frost-laden storm. The temperature plummeted, and I could feel the icy chill biting at my skin, even through my mana-reinforced defenses.
I exhaled, steadying my breath. "You're not making this easy, are you?"
Seraphina didn't respond. Her focus was absolute, her movements deliberate as she began weaving her next attack. Her ice mana pulsed, the blossoms converging around her as she prepared to launch them in another storm of coordinated destruction.
"Alright then," I muttered, adjusting my grip on my sword. "Let's see how far we can push this."
The stage was hers for the moment, but I wasn't done yet. The storm would pass. It always did. And when it did, I would be ready.
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